TODO and Roadmap

This document tracks known issues, planned enhancements, and future development goals for the New Python GitHub Project application.

Known Issues

macOS CMD+Tab Generic Icon

Status: Open

Description: On macOS, when using CMD+Tab to switch between applications, the New Python GitHub Project app displays a generic Python icon instead of the custom application icon.

Root Cause: This is a macOS limitation when running Python applications directly as scripts rather than as proper macOS application bundles (.app). The issue occurs because:

  1. Process Identity: macOS identifies the running process as the Python interpreter, not as the specific application

  2. Bundle Structure: Python scripts lack the proper .app bundle structure that macOS uses for application metadata

  3. Icon Association: The dock and CMD+Tab switcher rely on bundle information (Info.plist) to determine the correct icon

Current Behavior: - ✅ Menu bar: Shows correct name “New Python GitHub Project” (fixed via PyObjC) - ✅ Window icon: Shows correct custom icon - ❌ CMD+Tab: Shows generic Python icon - ❌ Dock: Shows generic Python icon when app is running

Potential Solutions:

  1. Application Bundling (Recommended) - Use tools like py2app or briefcase to create proper macOS app bundles - Provides native macOS integration with proper icon handling - Pros: Complete solution, professional distribution - Cons: Adds build complexity, larger distribution size

  2. Runtime Bundle Modification - Dynamically modify the NSBundle at runtime to set more metadata - Extend current PyObjC solution beyond just CFBundleName - Pros: No build changes required - Cons: Limited effectiveness, may not work for dock integration

  3. Custom Launcher Script - Create a native macOS launcher that spawns the Python application - Use AppleScript or native code to set proper application identity - Pros: Maintains current Python-based architecture - Cons: Complex implementation, potential maintenance overhead

Priority: Low (cosmetic issue, doesn’t affect functionality)

Related Files: - src/new_python_github_project/helpers.py:545 (_fix_macos_app_name function) - pyproject.toml (PyObjC dependency configuration)

Future Enhancements

GUI Improvements

  1. Theme Support - Add dark/light theme toggle - Respect system theme preferences - Custom color schemes

  2. Window Management - Remember window size and position - Multiple project windows support - Tabbed interface for multiple projects

  3. Progress Indicators - Real-time progress bars for long operations - Background task status - Cancel operation support

Development Tools Integration

  1. IDE Integration - VS Code project setup templates - PyCharm configuration files - Sublime Text project files

  2. CI/CD Templates - GitHub Actions workflow templates - GitLab CI configuration - Pre-commit hook templates

  3. Documentation Generation - Auto-generate API documentation structure - README template customization - Sphinx configuration options

Platform Support

  1. Windows Improvements - Windows-specific icon handling verification - PowerShell script templates - Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) support

  2. Linux Desktop Integration - .desktop file generation verification - Wayland compatibility testing - Flatpak/Snap package support

  3. Cross-Platform Testing - Automated testing on all platforms - Virtual machine test environments - Container-based testing

Configuration Management

  1. Project Templates - Customizable project templates - Template marketplace/sharing - Version control for templates

  2. Settings Profiles - Multiple configuration profiles - Import/export settings - Team configuration sharing

  3. Plugin System - Plugin architecture design - Third-party extension support - API for custom integrations

Completed Items

✅ macOS Menu Bar Name Fix (v0.1.0)

  • Fixed menu bar showing “python3” instead of application name

  • Implemented PyObjC-based solution with CFBundleName modification

  • Added proper environment inheritance for subprocess detachment

✅ Icon Loading System (v0.1.0)

  • Implemented hierarchical icon loading with fallback system

  • Added cross-platform icon theme support

  • Proper virtual environment icon path resolution

✅ Environment Isolation (v0.1.0)

  • Fixed subprocess environment inheritance issues

  • Ensured virtual environment preservation in detached processes

  • Added proper dependency management with uv

Contributing

If you’d like to work on any of these items:

  1. Check the GitHub Issues for existing discussions

  2. Create a new issue to discuss your proposed changes

  3. Follow the development guidelines in the development documentation

  4. Submit a pull request with your implementation

Priority levels: - High: Critical functionality, major bugs - Medium: Important features, minor bugs - Low: Nice-to-have features, cosmetic issues